Lana’s POV
Lana tapped her pencil rhythmically against the wooden desk, as she listened to her lecturer absent minded and with bored eyes. She glanced at her wristwatch for what felt like the hundredth time in the past hour.
Five more minutes to go.
Even though it was only five minutes left, she could practically feel the seconds dragging by. The
classroom felt like a cage to her now and she was growing impatient with each tick of the clock. The thought of sprinting out of here before the lecture ended crossed her mind but she immediately pushed the thought to the back of her mind.
She shifted in her seat, casting another furtive glance at the watch. Four minutes now.
Good lord, please!
Finally, the professor's voice rose, signaling the end of the class and Lana was out of her seat even before he had finished speaking, stuffing her notebook into her bag with hasty, almost frantic movements. She barely noticed the puzzled looks from her classmates as she darted for the door.
"Lana, wait up!" A familiar voice called out just as she reached the hallway.
She paused, turning to see her best friend, Mabel, jogging to catch up with her. Mabel's curly, chestnut brown hair bounced with each step, her face liting up as she approached her.
"Where are you off to in such a hurry?" Mabel asked, falling into step beside her.
"I've got a babysitting job, and I’m running late." Lana replied, resuming her walk again and not slowing her pace while Mabel struggled to keep up.
Mabel raised an eyebrow, a playful smile tugging at her lips.
"Babysitting, huh? You sure you’re not just trying to get out of Professor Evans’ lecture?"
Lana managed a quick grin, despite her urgency. Everyone in their department knew how wack Professor Evan’s classes were and would give anything just to be able to skip his classes without failing his course.
"That’s just a bonus."
Mabel laughed, shaking her head.
"Alright, but you owe me coffee for leaving me alone in there."
"Deal," Lana called over her shoulder as she quickened her pace, leaving Mabel behind, her feet pounding against the pavement
She couldn't afford to be late today for her babysitting job as she was afraid that it may make her appear unprofessional and that wasn’t something she wanted. Not when it was the only thing that helped her survive her broke student life. Babysitting wasn't just a job for her; it was a lifeline.
…………
Lana exhaled a sigh of relief as she closed the door behind her, leaving the Johnsons' house quieter than it had been all afternoon. The kids were finally asleep, and she had managed to get through another shift without any major hiccups. She checked her phone, and a notification caught her eye.
It was a new message on her babysitting website. Someone wanted to book her. Lana smiled at this. More work meant more money, and she needed every cent.
She quickly read the message, noting the details. A new client, a single mother needing a babysitter for that afternoon. Perfect.
She hurriedly made her way to her car, a beat-up old sedan that had seen better days. The driver's side door creaked loudly as she opened it, and the engine sputtered to life with a reluctant roar. She had named it Rusty, and though it was far from reliable, it was all she had.
This has been her life ever since her mother had abandoned her when she was only sixteen. She had vanished without a trace, leaving Lana to fend for herself. There was no one that Lana could turn to. Her mother had had her at a very young age out of wedlock after she had gotten pregnant for a random stranger at a bar and she had ran away from home because of that.
Lana laughed a short bittered laugh at the thought of that. Well, guess running away like a coward was her mother’s best coping mechanism.
But then again, Lana had survived. She had no choice but to grow up fast, balancing school, work, and the endless responsibilities that came with living alone.
She would never give her mother the benefits of seeing her life waste away just because she did not know how to be a mother. She was going to do all her best to stay alive and never beg even if it meant working an entire twenty four hours, all around the clock.
After her babysitting job that afternoon, Lana immediately hurried to the coffee shop where she worked night shifts and when she was finally off work, she drove Rusty home. And by the time she had stumbled through the door of her tiny apartment, exhaustion weighed her down.
The cluttered state of her living room greeted her as she stumbled inside. There were piles of laundry, textbooks, and takeout containers scattered around, reminding her of her chaotic schedule and the life she barely had time to manage.
Ignoring the messy state of her apartment, the only thought that settled on her mind was how badly she badly wanted to collapse into bed. But first, she had to go through her nightly ritual.
She headed to the bathroom, her reflection in the mirror showing dark circles under her eyes.
“Fuck.” She muttered a cuss as she stared at her pathetic reflection in the mirror. Her golden blonde hair which she had parked in a messy bun was now messier than it should be and her blue eyes looked like they needed sleep right now.
Sighing in resignation, she reached for her cheap skincare products, methodically applying each one. It was a small act of self-care in a life that allowed little room for anything else.
As she massaged the cleanser into her skin, her phone rang, cutting through the quiet. She clicked her tongue, slightly annoyed by the intrusion and glanced at the screen, noting the unfamiliar number. With a sigh, she wiped her hands and picked up the call.
"Hello?" she answered, trying to keep the weariness out of her voice.
"Hello, is this Lana Carter, the babysitter?" The feminine voice on the other end was calm and composed, with the kind of effortless poise that suggested wealth.
Lana glanced at the wall clock in her bathroom. Was this woman calling regarding babysitting by this time of the night? Clearly, her website stated that her work hours end by 9pm, so why was she reaching out to her by 10pm?
"Yes, this is Lana. How can I help you?" Lana answered regardless.
"My name is Evelyn," the woman said. "I found your contact on your babysitting website. I need someone to look after my boyfriend's children, and I heard you come highly recommended."
Lana took a deep breath. She could use the extra money, but she was beyond exhausted. Plus, it was already late at night.
"I'm sorry, ma’am, but I can't take on any more jobs tonight. I'm really tired and need to rest. Also, it’s past my work hours."
There was a brief pause, and Lana could almost picture the elegant woman on the other end considering her response. She was also tapping at her phone impatiently, waiting for the woman to end the call so that she would go back to her skincare routine and have a goodnight sleep.
"I understand," The woman at the other end of the line said finally. "But this is quite urgent. I can pay you five times your usual rate."
Lana's eyes widened in shock. Was she hearing things correctly?
"Five times?" she repeated.
"Yes," The woman confirmed. "And to show you that I'm serious, I'll send you half of the money right now."
Before Lana could respond, her phone buzzed with a notification. She opened her banking app and saw the deposit: half the promised amount, already in her account.
Her mind raced. That kind of money could cover her most important bills and rent, give her a bit of breathing room.
"Okay," she said immediately , her voice slightly shaky with a mix of disbelief and relief. "I'll do it."
"Wonderful," The woman said, her tone still as calm as ever. "I'll send you the address. Please be here as soon as you can."
As the woman finally hung up, Lana stared at her reflection in the mirror, wide eyed. Gradually, a wide smile crossed her lips. Five times her usual rate was a huge catch. There was no way she could skip this for anything in the world.
Without another wasted minute of her time, she quickly washed her face, pulled on a fresh set of clothes, and grabbed her bag.
“Just for tonight.” Lana reassured herself and she hurried towards Rusty. “Only for tonight.”